Lock-nut.



J MTM.,

S. G. MEEKE LOCK NUT.

APPLIGMIGN FILED Mm 9, 19m,

v away showing 4my spring detent in place;

Y SAMUEL mnnx'nn, or NEW Yonx, N.. Y.

Loox-NUT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all 'whom it may concern: V 'Be it known that-I, SAMEL G. MEEKER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, cityof New,V York, county and Statev of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Lock-Nuts, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to means for preventing nuts from being accidentally'un-- screwed.

Thenovel features of construction will be apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the draWings,-Figure 1 is a side view partly in section of a nut and bolt having Y my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the construction shown in Fig.

l; Fig. 3 is a perspective view partly broken Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the spring detent removed from the nut; and Fig. 5 is a plan viewshowing a modified form of spring detent in 'place on the nut.

In these drawings I have shown a'bolt 1 provided with the screw. threads 2 upon which the nut 3 fits. The bolt l may also be provided with the longitudinal grooves 4 'which coperate with my spring detent to.

assist in preventing rotation of the nut when not desired, but it will beunderstod that these grooves are not always necessary. The nut 3 is provided with a longitudinal opening 5 -which is circular in cross 'section vthroughout most of its circumference, and

which is parallel with the central screw threaded opening of the nut and. intersects that central opening. This opening 5 is formed Withva notch or extension -on one. side, the outer surface of which -is substan' tially tangent to the circular portion-of the opening, and it extends inwardly toward -the central screw-threaded opening leaving a shoulder- 7 at the end. It will be observed that this opening 5 is entirely within the outer margin'of the nut and extends longi tudinally throixgh it.' In this Iopening?) I place a spring detent 8 which is preferably formed of.a flat sheet of metaL-curved at y one end'to conformto the shape of the opening, thus forming at that end a tube-like spring. The inner end 9 of the tube-like portion extends normally within the centra-l.Y `screw-threaded opening, so as to bear by its '-spring'laction l1-pgn the bolt. which enters Patented nomas, 1912.'

Application led;May 9, 1910. Serial No. 560,242. i

that opening. In the forms shown in Figs. l and 2, thisend terminates at such a point that the edge will be in Contact with the threads on the bolt, and may enter the longitudinal grooves 4 so as-to lock the n ut positively against rotation in one Idirection onthe bolt, .while permitting it to rotate under the application of force in the other direction. The ,oppositel end 10 of ythis detent is extended at practically a tangent to the tu bular portion and is adapted to bear against the shoulder 7, and it will be'observed that by this shape of the spring and the openinor in which 'it lits closely I have provided means for preventing the tubular portion of the spring from' rotating in the opening, and thus always makethe portion of the spring desired bear against'the threads of the bolt. 4It `will be observed that when the nut is turned in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 the end 9 of the spring detent will be forced outward from the central screw-threaded opening to the opening 5, and thus the nut may be turned Without exerting great force. When the effort is made .however-'to turn itv in the opposite direction, the end 9 engaging the grooves 4 or other irregularities on-the surface of the vthreads Will prevent the turning of the nut becausethe tubular opening and can not in that' direction. The contact of the end lOlWith the shoulder 7 or with the outer surface of the screw threads 2 will prevent the turning of the spring.

. In the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the end 11 of the tubular portion of the` spring is extended in the arc of a circle farther than in the form' 'shown in Fig. 2,-and it is extended so far ,that the edge of the spring will not Imake contact with the threads of the bolt, but on the contrary the threads willengage the cylindrically curved portion which tapers in each direction!y from the point of contact. In this form therefore the nut is not positively locked against rota-v tion in either direction, and upon the exercise of sufficient force it may be turned onor off, notwithstanding the presence of ,the spring detent. The spring in this case however serves as a suflicient -detent against rotation? to prevent any accidental movement of the nut. In this case as-well as in the form fshown in Fig. l2 the'spring detent 1s prevented from rotating and becoming displaced by the extension from .the tubular Sfii ortion closely lits the e turned or expanded ,n

portion engaging the notch in the opening in which it fits. In both forms shown there is a partially closed tube with the extento s'ideran inexpensive construction having many obvious advantages is produced.

. Having thus described the invention, what 1. A nut having entirely inside of` its outer circumference, a -recess extending therethrough which is parallel With and adjoining the threaded opening for the bolt, and a detent protruding from a spring sup ported in said recess, and saliently or convvexly formed relative to the opening .for the bolt in both directionson opposite sides of a line radial to the nut, said protuberant portion being adapted to contact with a. threaded bolt ,in engagement with the threaded portion of the nut, and means for preventing said spring and detent from turning in said recess.

v2. A nut having an opening' extending therethrough and parallel with, but Whollyv at one side of the central threaded opening of the nut, the said openings intersecting each other, a compressible spring supported in the first mentioned opening havin at one edge a tube-like portion, the side o.` which is adaptedl to bear against a bolt entering said central opening at the point of inter'- section of said openings, and having at its other edge means for engaging the nut within said opening to prevent rotation of the spring.

3. A nut having an opening parallel with but Wholly at' one side of the central threaded opening ofthe nut, the said openings intersecting each other and the first mentioned opening being circular in cross section at one edge and tapering to the central opening at the other edge, anda spring tside adapted to engage a bolt entering said central opening at the point of intersection of said openings.

,4. A nut having an opening extending therethrough and parallel with but wholly at one side of the central threaded opening of the nut, the said openings intersecting each other and the first mentionedr opening being circular in cross section throughout most of. its circumference but having a notch or extension on one side, and a spring closely;r fitting said iirst mentioned opening having its end convexly curved relative to the central threaded opening and extended to engage a bolt entering said central opening at the point of intersection of said vopenings and having a portion entering said notch or extension to prevent rotation of said spring.

5. A nut having an opening` extending through Lits .bodiv from side to side vparallel with the axis of the nut and intersecting the central threaded'portion thereof, said opening being circular in cross-section at onel edge and having its other edge extended substantially tangent to the circular portion and the central threaded opening, a compressible sheet metal spring closely fitting said opening and having its circular end extended so as to present aconvex surface to said central threaded opening'.

In testimony vvhereotl I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

SAMUEL G. MEEKER. iVitnesses:

WALTER SCHULZ,

'Wan MEAD. 

